Collison packs an engrossing blend of historical fiction, romance, and adventure into this coming-of-age tale about a young girl desperate to claim her inheritance, first published as young adult novel Star-Crossed (Knopf, 2006) and here rewritten for adults. In November 1760, 16-year-old Patricia Kelley stows away on an English merchant ship in order to get to Barbados where she believes she is entitled to inherit Hatterby Estate, a sugar plantation, as she is the illegitimate daughter of its recently deceased owner, Sheldon Hatterby. After she’s discovered hiding on the ship by the crew, she’s forced to become indentured to the ship’s surgeon, who takes a liking to her. As the ship navigates the war between Britain and Spain, Patricia finds that she enjoys the seafaring life and learning from the surgeon. The fast-paced story never relents as the crew faces yellow fever, death, and imprisonment. Collison does a magnificent job of capturing the excitement and danger of life on the high seas. Patricia is a steel-willed heroine, and readers will look forward to her further adventures. (BookLife)